The present invention relates to asset management systems. More specifically, the invention relates to a field device tool (FDT) that allows EDDL (electronic description device language)-type device managers to access field devices.
Process plants, such as petroleum, pharmaceutical, chemical, pulp and other processing plants include many field devices which control and measure parameters or process variables within a process. Some common parameters or process variables include pressure, temperature, flow, conductivity, pH and other types of properties.
Field devices communicate with management systems by transmitting signals indicative of measurement values of the device or other types of device-specific information including calibration, configuration, diagnostic, maintenance and/or process information. Such field devices communicate via a communication protocol. In general, field devices can follow the HART® communication protocol (a registered trademark of the HART®Communication Foundation), the FOUNDATION™ fieldbus communication protocol (based on ISA-550.01-1992, promulgated by the Instrument Society of America in 1992 and practical implementation specified by the Fieldbus Foundation (FF)) or other types of protocols.
The above-mentioned communication protocols only allow device manufacturers to provide device-specific types of information on a device by device basis. Therefore, the particular types of information provided by each type of field device is different and consequently the communication protocols are complex and difficult to use in device programming. In particular, the above-mentioned communication protocols do not provide a consistent way to communicate with every type of field device.
One way in which communications with field devices have been simplified is with the use of electronic device description language (EDDL) in asset optimization device managers. EDDL source files include human-readable text written and are provided by device manufacturers. These files specify all the information available about a field device and also a fieldbus connected to the field device.
Another way in which communications with field devices have been simplified is with Field Device Tool (FDT) technology, as provided by the FDT Group. FDT-based applications allow users to utilize an advanced graphical user interface to interact with the host or management system. FDT technology allows any field device to be accessed from any host through any protocol. FDT technology includes the use of a frame application and various types of Device Type Managers (DTMs), such as device DTMs and communication DTMs or equivalent.
New or existing field devices can operate with and be accessed by a FDT-based application. However, the DTMs of the FDT-based application may be insufficient to exploit certain features of the field devices with which it communicates, such as parameterization and diagnosis. EDDL-based asset optimization device managers have the ability to parameterize and diagnose such field devices. However, the existing bus system of the new or existing field devices is accessible only via communication DTMs or equivalent of the FDT-based application.